Marucross
Marucross Neutral Evil Small Town (West) Corruption +3; Crime -2; Economy +1; Law +2; Lore +1; Society -2 Qualities Long Memory, Strategic Location Danger 0 Government Overlord Population 1,700 (1,300 Gnoll, 400 other) Notable NPCs Dur Canir LE Female Gnoll Slayer 12 Saru Suntin NE Male Gnoll Ranger 9 Ben Brukot LE Male Gnoll Cleric of Arhu-Makht 8 Tur Cardum CE Female Gnoll Kineticist 9 Marketplace Base Value 1100 gp; Purchase Limit 5000 gp; Spellcasting 4th Minor Items 3d4; Medium Items 1d6; Major Items -- Only a century ago the militant Zaratid Empire stretched across the Sandsea. Today it has collapsed into a disorganized mess of squabbling city-states. The Zaratid Empire was never the most stable, always balanced on a knife's edge between the tensions of its human and gnoll population. It was by their cooperation that the empire had been built, and through their duplicity that it was undone. Many of the cities of the Zaratid now lie in ruins, and those that remain are squabbling independent city-states. It was in that treacherous time, amidst the chaos of the Zan Zakud mutiny, the Curadiin purges, and Emiraban invasion, that much of the empire's gnoll population was forced into exile. They dispersed across the Sandsea. Many died in the unforgiving desert, while others were drawn into the vicious war as either bandits or mercenaries. The toll on the gnolls of Zaratid was harsh, but there appeared to be hope. Zan Zakud was overthrown and replaced by the charismatic general Gur Vantid, who returned to the southern Sandsea with his legion in the hopes of forging a new peace. Gur Vantid gathered his scattered people, forged new alliances, and amassed an army far greater than any other in the region at the time. He would reunify the humans and gnolls, make peace with Emiraba, and restore order to the empire. Gur Vantid's dream was quashed when his allies betrayed him in the battle of Dubban. One betrayal lead to another as non-gnoll commanders saw the winds turn against Gur Vantid. While the gnoll commander would personally survive, all hopes for the gnoll people were thoroughly slain. The remaining gnoll forces fled, many to the closest stronghold to the disastrous battle site, Marucross. The Emiraban army would eventually sweep across the region, but was never able to capture Marucross. The original Emiraban commander assigned to capture the settlement couldn't find it, and subsequent attempts to take the settlement once the Emiraban frontier had engulfed it were disasterous. The one successful attempt to take the settlement proved futile; the gnolls fled into the foothills and cut off supply lines, making occupation impossible. Today, Marucross is home to far fewer gnolls than at its post-war height. The surrounding lands can support only a meager resident population, and the majority of gnolls born and raised here must take up mercenary work, banditry, or the slave trade. Their settlement is not officially recognized by Emiraba, but in a modern context their services as mercenaries are necessary to secure the expansive frontier border. The total gnoll population in the surrounding region is difficult to estimate, but is likely still in the tends of thousands. At any given time there is almost never more than fifteen hundred gnolls in Marucross, and a significant portion of its population at any time are slaves. For their part, the gnolls have little trust of outsiders. They are surrounded by the successors of the very traitors who destroyed Gur Vantid's dream. Emiraba and the human city-states are dealt with on a mercenary basis, but the gnolls have no trust for them and these people are never allowed into their stronghold. Foreigners with no affiliation with these enemies fare better with the gnolls, and smugglers and slave traders often find themselves welcome here - provided they have something of value in exchange. Marucross is ruled by Dur Canir, who claims to be the great granddaughter of Gur Vantid. While the legitimacy of her claim is questionable, her rulership of Marucross is uncontested and the gnoll clans throughout the region regard her as the supreme ruler, coming before her court for arbitration. The gnolls here take great pride in their court and maintaining the preceedings of a Zaratid court. The lands surrounding Marucross are rugged, hilly, and make approach incredibly difficult. The fortifications are battered from battles now decades old, but the gnolls are hardened veterans from a lifetime of mercenary work. With Emiraba increasingly disinterested in the region that is so expensive to control and the human city-states more disorganized than ever, it is doubtful that anyone could dislodge the gnolls now even with their modest garrison. Category:Location Category:Settlement Category:West Category:Small town Category:Made by Dasrak